Bottle carrier



April 3, 1943. H. E. BRUNHOFF 2,316,738

BOTTLE CARRIER Filed June 22, 1940 INVENTOR.

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Patented Apr. 13, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOTTLE CARRIER Henry E. Brunhoff, Wyoming, Ohio, assignor to The Brunhofi' Manufacturing Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 22, 1940, Serial No. 841,930

4 Claims.

This invention relates to crates for bottles, and particularly to a hand crate adapted to clampingly confine a plurality of bottles in a Compact grouped arrangement to facilitate storage, and provide a convenient carrier receptacle for a retail supply of beverage bottles.

The hand crate is preferably of wire work, and is of particular utility in handling and dispensing beverage bottled goods, preferably in retail lots, and providing an open crate to facilitate storage in a refrigerator for cooling the contents of the bottles. The bottles are unitarily grouped within the crates, securely clamped against dislodgment and rattling, the clamping organization providing bails for conveniently carrying the crated group of bottles.

It is an object of the invention to provide a hand crate for bottles or the like, preferably formed of wire work for securely and compactly confining a group of bottles for handling or storage with an approximate full exposure of the bottles to facilitate cooling.

It is another object to provide a strong and durable light-weight hand crate of low manufacturing cost, and which may be collapsed and folded into compact form for storage or shipment.

It is another object to provide a hand crate having interlocking carrying bails which may be erected for carrying the crate, or which may be claspingly interlocked one with the other, to form a compactly clamped storage crate for the bottles, and for stacking the crates with the bottles, one upon another.

Another object is to provide a hand crate having interlocking bails, the crate adapted to be retained in partially opened position for convenience in loading and unloading, and positively locked in closed position for carrying, by interlocking the bails.

Further advantages and features of the invention will be more fully apparent from a description of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hand carrier crate, enclosing a group of bottles and clamped in closed position.

Figure 2 is an end View of a crate with the bails erected in carrying position.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the crate in opened position to receive the bottles.

Figure 4 is an end view of an upper portion of the carrier, showing the bails interlocked, one of the bails serving as a carrier handle, and the other as a hasp for locking the crate in closed position for carrying.

Referring to the drawing, the crate constitutes a base I of tray form, preferably of sheet. metal and of a size to accommodate the desired number of bottles, in the present instance six bottles arranged in two rows of three bottles each. The

base is preferably rectangular in shape, and includes side and end walls 2 and 3, respectively, which serve to enclose the lower portions of the bottles and retain them snugly within the base. The side walls 2, 2, of the base, if desired, may be of extended height to provide a printing or display area, and serving additionally as an aid in assembling the bottles in the carrier crate.

A pair of U-shaped side frames 4 and 5, preferably of wire, are hingedly anchored to the base through the opposing end walls 3, 3. For this purpose the end walls include horizontal slotted apertures 6 located near the corners of the base for receiving the vertical anchor hooks 1 formed at the lower ends of each of the limbs 8 of the side frames. The end walls immediately above the apertures include indentations or insets 9 serving to retain the side frames in partially erected position when they are arranged for loading.

The hooks 1 are arranged to he slipped through the horizontal slots lengthwise, with the side frames swung to a lowered position appropriate to dispose the hooks horizontally in line there with. The hooks lock with the base when the side frames are swung to a normal or erected position, being then disposed substantially crosswise of the slots. The hooks are angled slightly with respect to the limbs, so that the inner portion of the hook is disposed somewhat crosswise of the slot when the frames are in a horizontal position as when collapsed for stacking.

The anchorage slots of the end walls simplify assembly of the crate inasmuch as the side frames can be applied by hand, and the hooks 1, as formed, being self-locking, require no further bending or clinching for looking to the base. The indentations 9 in the end walls act as detents to limit the degree of swing and retain the side frames in an intermediate or open position for loading or unloading the crate. When it is desired to collapse the crate, the frames may be forced to snap past the intermediate limit to a horizontal position.

In erected or carrying position, the side frames are disposed in crossed relationship, the limbs 8 intersecting each other, and the respective connecting bars l0 disposed on opposite sides, above and parallel to the base, to confine the bottles. The frames enclose and clasp the bottles, engaging along their upper portions and following the contour of the bottles at opposite ends, and extending angularly across the ends of the crate,

Each connecting bar is configurated to provide a pair of offset portions II to receive a pair of carrying bails I2 and I3 pivotally anchored thereon, one bail for each respective side frame. The bails are generally of U-form, having a pair of limbs joined by a handle section, the opposite end of each limb including an eye for a hinge connection with the side frame. The bails are dimensioned to fit one within the other, so that one bail, namely I3, may be swung across the top of the crate as a hasp, looped about the other bail I2, which serves as a clasp to draw and lock the 7 frames together.

The halls serve two purposes, in one position serving as carrying bails, and in the other posi-- tion as clasps, for the sid frames. In thefirst instance the bails are erectedproviding a-convenient hand hold, as illustrated in Figure 2,.for carrying a retail supply of beverage bottles. In the second instance the bail I3is swung in place across the top of the crate forming a hasp, looped' overthe bail I2 which acts as a toggle to draw the side framesjtoward. each other, to securely clamp the bottles.

The bail I2, serving as a clasp, is looped about the connecting 1 bar IO'" being provided with elongatedloops' oneyes I4 for a binding engagement with the offset'handle section I5 of the opposite or hasp bail I3. In clamped position, the offset I 3 extends crosswise of the bottles below th topsthereof, and encloses-the centrally positioned bottles' of the group. The offset crossbar or handle section I5 of the bail I3" projects downwardly with the angle. section. I6 of the'limbs of the second bail. I2 overlying the cross bar I E-ofthe ball I 3; The offset crossbar-portion I5 of the bail I3 hooks over the. cross bar portion") of theframe 4'as'a clasp: Upon swingingth bail I2 downwardly to an approximately'vertical position at one'side of. the group of bottles, the angle section I6together,withtheoblong eye 14 at the. free end thereofpivotally connecting bail I2 to the frame 4, provide for Wedging' the forward offset end of thebail I3downwardly with-a portion of the eye projected-between the offset I I of the frame 4 and the cross; bar; I5 of the bail I3," establishing a pressure interlock, holding the bail IZ under pressure against self release; and also brings and sus tains theside frames [and 5 into clasping engage'ment with the-bottles so that they are securely-confined' within the case for stacking the units one upon another, of advantage in shipping and storage. Theelongatedeye connection of the bail I2 with the frame l'provides the necessary play to permit the interlocking engagee ment of the bails andfi'rmly holds the bail I3 in its crosswise bottle confining and frame clamping position. 7 r g The hand oratemay also be-carried'in a locked position; as illustrated'in Figure' l. In this instance'the bail I3" is swung in place, as a hasp spanning the side frames and looped over the carryingbail I2 whichis in erected carrying position. The crate with the'bails in this position is positively lockedjforcarrying;

The cooperating bail arrangement duplicates that described and claimed in a separate application filed on even date hereof and to which, for that reason, no claim isspecifically made herein.

Having describedmy invention, I claim:

1. A hand crate for bottles, comprising: a sheet metal base of tray'form to'sustain agroup of bottles in symmetrical arrangement, a pair of U-shapecl wire frames having their limbs normally disposed in crosswise relation with the ends thereof hingedly attached relatively to the opposite ends of the base, theframes in an operative position inclined across each other, clasping and binding the bottles disposed therebetween,

' land a bail respectively for each frame disposed midway of and pivotally connected thereto, the ball of one frame engageable through the bail of the second to interconnectingly join and clamp the upper ends of the frames about the bottles, and the second bail when. brought outwardly downward to extend toward the base cooperating with the first to lock the same in its frame clamping position.

2. A hand carriage bottle crate, comprising a pan-form base for sustaining a group of bottles in an uprightv position, a pair of wire frames each' constituting a pair of limbs connected by a cross bar extended at'an angle thereto for the top of the frame, the limbs of the frames normally in crossing relation with the ends thereof hingedly connected respectively to the opposite ends of the base, adapting the frames-to straddle the. group of bottles from opposite sides thereof, and a pair of bails each hingedly connectedto a respective cross bar of a frame and centrally thereof, one thereof adapted to be interlooped through the second and locked thereby in a horizontal position across the bottles andclaspingly connect the upper ends of the frames upon swinging the second bail downward to a perpendicular position alongside the bottles, said second bail in an'upward position providing a hand hold for the crate whilethe first bail is interlooped therewith and bridgingly connecting with the upper ends'of the frames.

3. A hand carriage bottle crate, comprisinga base for sustaining a group of bottles, a pair of wire frames of U -form having their ends hingedly connected respectively to the opposite ends of the base, the-frames in an operative position inclined across each other, straddling the group of bottles from opposite sides thereof, and a pair of bails each hingedly connected to the top of a respective frame and centrally thereof, one thereof adapted to be interlooped through the second and-locked thereby in a-horizontal position across the bottles and connect the upper ends of the frames, the second bail in an upward position providing a hand hold for the crate'whil'e the first bail is interlooped therewith'connecting the upper ends of theframes, and adapted to be brought downward to a perpendicular position alongside the bottles-to lock the first bail-in its frameconnecting position.

4. A hand carriage bottle crate comprising abase for sustaining-a group of bottles man upright position, a pair of wire frames pivotally connected respectively to the opposite-endsof the base and in an operative-position inclined across each other, straddling. the group of bottles'from opposite sides thereof, a pairiofbails each pivotally connected respectively: to the top of a frame, one thereof adapted to be engaged through the second andbe-locked thereby in a horizontal position across the-bottles and connect the upper ends of the frames, the second HENRY" E. BRUNI-IOFF. 

